Phantasmagorial Parameter
by AndrogynousInk
Summary: Beyond Birthday was going to surpass L. To surpass L, he had to have what L had. Even an heir.
1. Patient Data

**BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CENTER FOR THE CRIMINALLY INSANE**

_London, UK_

PATIENT NAME: Yokiji Rin

ALIAS: Always Alone

RACE: Japanese-Irish

GENDER: Female

AGE: 16

DATE OF BIRTH: 11/05/1985

HEIGHT: 5'5"

WEIGHT: 95 lbs.

HAIR COLOR: Red

EYE COLOR: Green

STATUS: Solitary Confinement

PHYSICIAN: Dr. Taylor Nordeen

PSYCHOLOGIST: Dr. Jeff Bernat

ANALYSIS: Patient suffers from extreme schizophrenia, mild anxiety, severe depression, and insomnia. Continues to refer to the 'life numbers' above a person's head that her 'cursed eyes' allow her to see. Mainly talks about herself as 'Backup's Backup'.

MEDICATION: 10 mg Lunesta, 30 mg Cymbalta, 10 mg Cylexa,

ADDITIONAL NOTE: Will be released if condition improves within six months.


	2. Encounter

The room was dark. It was after lights out. That was all the girl really noticed. The absence of light. Her eyes were permanently adjusted, because her world was black. There was no light in this place. They called her freak here. They were dark. Black. Ugly. _Not like him_. He'd called her precious. Beautiful. Here, she was insane. Here, she was caged. _Couldn't think. Couldn't breathe. Suffocating_. Was that possible? Suffocation by darkness. She didn't know. But she did know when they wouldn't be hurting her anymore. Suffocating her. Not soon enough. Their numbers were too long. Especially his. The man who stared at her every day, scribbling on his clipboard like she was an interesting experiment. Something he had to see, had to observe or his world would end. So he'd put her here, where he could see her without interference. _Solitary Confinement._

A sliver of light at the door. Checking. Watching, always watching! It drove her insane. They wanted her to sleep. Sleep was bad. They would come back if she slept. _Couldn't breathe. Couldn't think. Couldn't sleep._ Wrong, wrong, wrong. Had to breathe. Had to think. Needed to get away. The light was still there. _Make it go away!_ she screamed at the door, her lips unmoving and throat refusing to work. The pain. They took pieces of her every time they came. They said it was for study. The sterile equipment stealing parts of her soul. Every time she came, her blonde perfectly dyed and pulled back, cherry red lips parted over perfect white teeth in a fake smile.

The light vanished. She breathed. They weren't coming. It wasn't late enough, but it was too late. She'd be here. Then him. Then it. Then him again, as if she would change in half of an hour. Did she look different each time? Or sound different? Something had to be different…no. Not had to. _Was different._ Her. She was the freak. Freak freak freak. His freak. His project. Had to talk to her everyday. Was it everyday? Were there even days anymore? Maybe it was always one time. One time. She's the freak with no time. Can't see her time. Must not have one. Was she dead? She felt it. Dozing. No, can't sleep. Not now. Tired…so tired.

Against her will, Yokiji Rin slept.

* * *

_Scritchscritchscritch._

Annoying sound. A fly with broken wings buzzing in her ear. She wanted to crush it. Kill it. Stop it. Noise. Light. He must be here. The fly…his pen. Plastic. Ink. Metal tip. Cheap. The clipboard, dried and hardened cardboard. His too short tan slacks. Horrid navy and yellow sweater. Tan skin. Plastic smile. Hazel eyes. Caramel hair. Perfect. Perfectly fake. She'd done it. Acknowledged him. Compared him to her, with her pale skin and freak eyes. Freak. Would he talk today? Cocoa lips moved, white teeth flashed, pink tongue slithered. Throat vibrated, but no sound. Mouth closed. She cocked her head. The buzzing in her ears didn't go away. Deaf. Suffocating and deaf.

A quick frown. Irritation. It amused her. He was usually so composed. Why different today? He scowled at her. Opened his mouth to take a calming breath. The people in her ear whispered to her. _He is different. Something's wrong. Different. Something he doesn't' want you to know._ She felt her lips twitch. A smile. Foreign. Unnecessary amusement. Wanted to antagonize him. Push him until he broke. It worked. Legs uncrossed. Shifted. Pen kept moving. Faster.

_Scritchscratchsritchscratchscritch_

He cleared his throat. "You have a visitor."

Gone. He left. A new man was in his place. Messy dark hair. Slouching shoulders. Dark eyes. Bags. Crouch. Him. No, not him. Imposter. B? No, no, no. B was gone. Left her. Abandoned her. He was here now. Different…less psychotic…too calm, to composed. Was he drugged? He was too perfect for that. _Him. He's here. Back for you. Back to get you. _The man bit his thumbnail thoughtfully. Watched her. It was harder to breathe. Too intense. To focused.

"Yokiji Rin." Voice too deep. Had he matured? "Do you know who I am?" Kept watching her. She wanted to gouge his eyes out, but instead shook her head. "I am L."

Frozen. Time was frozen. It wasn't B. B knew he wasn't L. Knew better than to claim it. Her voice returned. "Liar."

He surveyed her. "You are B's backup."

"No."

"You know how he thinks."

"No."

"I need your help."

"No!"

"…" He stood up. Towered over her. "B has started a string of murders in Los Angeles, California. You will be helping in the hands on part of the investigation, along with FBI agent Naomi Misora."

"No." She glared up at him. "B is gone. You're a liar."

"Am I?" L's eyes darkened. "All evidence shows it is B. In fact, there's only a point five percent chance it's not."

_Point five._ Annoyingly low. It had to be B. L crouched beside her. "I assume you are now willing to cooperate?"

She nodded.

* * *

It was her first time in a limo. She'd never really bothered to pay attention to them, since she knew she was never going to get one, but it was impressive. The windows were tinted, the seats leather. It was comfortable. And she was tired. She peered out the window. Through the rain, her reflection peered back. Long, dark red hair. Vibrant green eyes. She turned to look at L. Her eyes flashed up to the top of his head out of curiosity.

_L Lawliet  
__1 13 184 0_

Not long. Just over two years left. But he was L. His name was proof. So they really were after B. White shirt. Plain, faded jeans. No shoes. All of it baggy. Too thin. Anorexic, maybe. Obviously never slept. The hunch? Laziness, perhaps. Or the burden of justice's weight. Was that possible? Who knew. She stared at him. He stared back. The rainy Los Angeles passed by, and they were only occupied with each other. She glanced at her own clothes. Black t-shirt. Dark jeans. Black flats. Opposite of him, more like B. B. BB. Beyond Birthday. Los Angeles. Beyond Birthday. Hunh? Los Angeles Beyond Birthday. L. A. B. B. L is After Beyond Birthday. Clever. Always clever. Did L know?

"I'm going to contact Naomi Misora once we reach the hotel. You will need to be at the crime scene when she arrives. Do you understand?"

She nodded. He looked up at the building looming over them. She did too. Steel and glass and concrete. The only things protecting them from B's own devil eyes. Reality hit her as the driver parked the limo and unloaded their luggage. She was going to see B. And he would know it was her, because of his eyes. What would he do? Would he be expecting it? Or would he simply ignore it? She didn't know. Maybe he would pull her away and talk to her. Maybe he would ignore her.

"I'm going to contact Misora-san." She looked up at L, and realized that he had hacked someone's e-mail account. Someone named Raye Penbar. She blinked and began to read the message.

_Naomi Misora-sama_

_I apologize for contacting you like this._

_I would like your help in solving a certain case. If you are willing to assist me, please access the third section of the Funny Dish sever on August 14__th__ at nine a.m. The line will be open for exactly five minutes (please break through the firewall yourself)._

_L_

_PS: In order to contact you, I took the liberty of borrowing your friend's address. _

_This was the simplest and safest way to contact you, so please forgive me. Regardless of whether you help me or not, I need you to destroy this computer within twenty-four _

_hours of reading this message._

She snorted. Short, sweet, and to the point. Destroy the computer? So no one could trace the message, obviously. She looked at the clock. 8:15 a.m. local time. So, this Naomi Misora had exactly forty-five minutes to wake up, read the message, and access the server. If she could hack through the firewall. A sudden thought occurred to her. She was working with Naomi Misora, and would be meeting her at the scene of the first crime. So, technically, she would have to _know_ when Misora was going to be there. Would L tell Misora that she was here? She decided to shower and mull things over.

* * *

She walked out just in time to hear L say, "Naomi Misora." He paused. "This is L."

Misora typed out a reply that flashed across the screen. _This is Naomi Misora. It's an honor to speak to you, L._

"Naomi Misora, are you familiar with the murder investigation going on in Los Angeles as we speak?" Rin sat next to him. Straight to business. Then again, he did only have five minutes to explain.

His practicality was returned with Misora's sarcasm. _I am not so skilled that I can keep track of all the murder investigation's happening in Los Angeles._

It was countered with a boast. "Oh? I am." He took a deep breath before continuing. "I'm referring to the serial killings – the third victim was found yesterday. I believe there will be more victims to come. HNN news is calling it the Wara Ningyo Murders. I would like to solve this case. I need to arrest the killer. But your help in this matter is vital, Naomi Misora." Rin snorted. What was she, beef jerky?

After a few seconds, Misora typed _Why me?_ This could've been taken as "Why do you need my help?" or "Why should I help you?". L took the first. Did he not understand sarcasm?

"Naturally because you are a skilled investigator, Naomi Misora."

_I'm on leave of absence…_

"I know. Isn't that convenient?" There was one minute left.

_Okay. I'll help in any way I can._

The answer was instant. "Thank you. I knew you would agree." Rin thought he didn't sound very thankful. "Let me explain how you will contact me in the future. We have to time, so I will be brief. First…"

* * *

The entire day before the investigation began was filled with L filling in both Misora and Rin on the murders. The first had been on July 31st, 2002. A fourty-four year old man named Believe Bridesmaid was killed in his bedroom in a small house on Hollywood's Insist Street. He was a freelance writer who lived alone, writing articles for dozens of magazines under many different names, and he was relatively fair known in the industry. Pointless information. He was first knocked out with a drug and then strangled from behind with a string. No signs of struggle were found, making this a smoothly executed crime.

Four days later, in an apartment on Third Avenue in downtown, a fourteen year old girl named Quarter Queen had her head beaten in from the front with a long, hard object. The victim was once again drugged and unconscious at the time of the murder. The connection between the two murder victims, who had probably never met or even seen each other, was the Wara Ningyo nailed to the victims walls. Straw voodoo dolls that had originated in Japan. Four on Insist Street, three on Third Avenue.

The last murder occurred on August 13th, 2002, in a townhouse in West L.A. near the Metrorail Glass Station. The victim was a twenty-six year old banking clerk named Backyard Bottomslash. She had no connections to either Believe Bridesmaid or Quarter Queen. She had died from loss of blood; massive hemorrhaging. Strangulation, beating, and finally stabbing. A different method each time. No useful clues were left, except for the steadily decreasing number of Wara Ningyo.

In addition to the Wara Ningyo, all were locked rooms.

* * *

On August 15th, 2002, outside of the scene of the first murder, Naomi Misora and Rin met for the first time. Naturally, Misora had been informed of Rin's presence as L's personal detective, but she was clearly shocked by the young age of her partner. The two of them smiled politely and shook hands. When Naomi looked down to pull her phone out of her purse, Rin's eyes flashed to the top of her head.

_Naomi Misora  
__72 720 0_

Less time than L. She watched as Misora dialed the scrambled five-fold number and speculated on how she was going to die, but was yanked out of her thoughts when the woman spoke. "L, I've reached the scene and have made contact with your assistant."

"_Good_." The artificial voice was barely audible.

"What should we do?" Rin was tempted to sigh. Go inside was the obvious answer.

"_Naomi Misora, are the two of you inside the building or outside?_"

"Outside. We're heading toward the scene of the crime but have not yet entered the yard."

"_Then please go inside. It should be unlocked. I've arranged for that_." Rin chuckled quietly at the look of frustration that crossed the FBI agent's face as she quickly muttered thanks. Not caring if Misora was with her or not, she walked across the yard and into the house, moving towards the bedroom on the first floor. There wasn't a speck of dust anywhere.

"But L…" she heard Misora begin.

"_Yes?_"

"According to the data I…we received yesterday, not to state the obvious, but the police have already examined the scene."

"_Yes_." How helpful. Rin rolled her eyes as she entered the room, looking around idly. The room was large, but not cramped. There was a big bed in the center, and a few other bookshelves on one wall, filled mainly with how-to books for leisure activities and Japanese comics. A relax room. A study was probably on the second floor.

"So there's no point in us being here?" _Idiot. If there wasn't a point, he wouldn't have sent us._

"_No._" L's reply was hard to hear due to the added distance. "_I expect you will be able to find something that the police did not._" Which explained nothing.

"Well…" Rin muttered, "That's clear enough." Misora repeated it into the phone.

"_They say you should visit a crime scene a hundred times, so going there is hardly pointless. Some time has passed, so it's possible that something has floated to the surface. Naomi Misora, the first thing all of us need to think about in this case is the connection between the victims. What links Believe Bridesmaid, Quarter Queen, and the new victim, Backyard Bottomslash? Or is there no connection, and these murders are completely random? But even if they are random, there must be some logic by which the killer selects his victims. What I am asking the two of you to do, Naomi Misora, is to discover the missing link."_

"I see…"

The missing link? The locked room. No. That information was in the file. Then what? Rin moved over to the bed and sat down, staring at the wall as Misora moved around the room. Something that B would notice and use to select his victim. Well, the names were obviously clues. _B_elieve _B_ridesmaid. _B_ackyard _B_ottomslash. But where did Quarter Queen fit into this? According to L and the crossword he worked, the answer was 221 Insist Street, Hollywood, the location of the first murder. So, the murder was advertised. Which means…B would have given some clue to the location of the second murder, right? But still…the names were only a faint clue, and not a good method of selecting victims. Besides, you can't kill someone if their lifespan is longer than when you reach them. That meant that the victims would have died at the time B killed them anyway.

Clues for the second murder. Think like B. B. The books? She looked at the bookcase. Fifty-seven tightly packed volumes. An obvious message. Books. Paper. Pages. Page numbers. Numbers? The corpse! She turned to Misora quickly enough to nearly lose balance.

"Misora-san, may I see the photographs of the autopsy?"

"Hunh? Yeah." She plucked the paper from Misora's hand and began to rotate it. Letters had been carved onto the victim's chest, but what if the letters were actually _numbers?_ Roman numerals looked like letters, so…I is one, II is two, III is three, IV is four, V is five, VI is six, VII is seven, VIII is eight, IX is nine, X is ten, L is fifty, C is one hundred, D is five hundred, M is one thousand. The numbers could be read as 16, 59, 1423, 159, 13, 7, 582, 724, 1001, 40, 51, and 31. Book pages. But there wasn't a one thousand page book on the shelves. She sighed.

"Do you think he hid something beneath the bed?" Misora asked quietly, crouching down.

"?!" They jumped as a hand reached out from under the bed. Misora jumped back and roared, "What…no, who are you?" Almost as if the owner didn't care, a second hand joined it, and a body followed it. A man. How long had he been down there? Had he heard Misora's conversation with L?

"Answer me! Who are you?!" Misora put her hand in her jacket as if she had a gun, which Rin knew for a fact that she didn't. The man raised his head and slowly stood up. Natural black, a plain shirt, and faded jeans. He had dark lines under his wide, bulging eyes. He was thin and tall, but had a stoop the made him appear shorter than he was.

"Nice to meet you," he said, completely unruffled. He bowed. "Please call me Ryuzaki."

Rin's eyes, which had flashed upwards when he stood up, widened in horror.

_Beyond Birthday  
__7 24 320_


	3. A Matter of Names

**Author's Note:** Oops. I forgot about the disclaimers on the last two chapters. Sorry, Obha Tsugumi-sama, Obata Takeshi-sama, and Nisioisin-sama! Anyway, I'm slightly pissed at the Microsoft Word to Internet transition process. The last chapter was seven pages, and looked exceedingly short! To me it did, anyway. So…I'm going to type longer chapters. And if you can guess how I get the life-spans, I'll give you a piece of cheesecake!

**Disclaimer:** I, as depressed as it makes me, do not own _Death Note_, _Death Note, Another Note: The Los Angeles BB Murder Cases__, _or any other _Death Note _franchise_. _

_[Line break]_

"Ryuzaki…" Misora muttered as she looked over the black business card that had been handed to her without hiding her suspicion. "Rue Ryuzaki, right?"

"Yes. Rue Ryuzaki," Beyond Birthday replied, sounding bored. He nibbled his thumbnail.

The three had moved out of the bedroom into the living room of Believe Bridesmaid's house. Beyond Birthday and Naomi Misora were sitting opposite of each other, with Rin sitting in the middle in an armchair. Occasionally, Beyond Birthday glanced at her with mild interest before returning her attention to Misora. He was seated with his knees up and his arms wrapped around them. _Like L,_ a voice whispered tauntingly. No, not L. A fake, a copy. Just like her. She was B' copy. Misora looked at the black business card Beyond Birthday had handed her. _Rue Ryuzaki: Detective._

"According to this, you're a detective?" She sounded skeptical.

"Yes, I am."

"You mean…a private detective?"

"No, that term would not be very accurate. I feel the word 'private' carries with an excess of neurotic egotism…you might say that I am an un-private detective — a detective without an ego." Rin snorted. Just like B. Act like a detective and then blow your cover by revealing you didn't have a license.

"I see…" Rin could tell that Misora wanted to do something to the card, but she settled for simply setting it down on the table as far away from her as possible. "So, Ryuzaki…let me ask again, what exactly were you doing down there?"

"Same as you two. Investigating." His expression didn't change. He never blinked. It would have been unsettling if Rin wasn't used to it. "I was hired by the parents of this house's owner—by Mr. Bridesmaid's parents, and am currently conducting an investigation into the killings. It seemed to me that the two of you were here for much the same reason."

Rin watched as he eyes focused on her, never blinking. To her, they were a blood red crimson, instead of the dark brown or black they appeared to Misora. She watched as his eyes danced to the top of her head. When she had been introduced to both Misora and him, she'd used the alias Lise Murray, per L's instruction. A small smirk twitched at the corners of his mouth. _He knew._ Oh, God, she was screwed. He knew he knew he knew he knew he knew! He knew that L had sent her, knew that she was now his enemy, knew how long she had left! What if she was his next victim? Her heart pounded and her lungs seemed to stop functioning.

"Yes…we're also detectives," Misora said suddenly. "I can't tell you who we're working for, but we've been asked to investigate in secret. To find out who killed Believe Bridesmaid, Quarter Queen, and Backyard Bottomslash…"

"Have you? Then we can cooperate!" Beyond Birthday said instantly. Rin's lungs finally started working. She sighed in relief.

"So, Ryuzaki. Did you find anything under the bed that might prove useful in solving this case? I assume you were looking for anything the killer might have left behind, but…" Naomi paused as Beyond Birthday cut her off.

"No, nothing of the sort. I heard someone come into the house, so I decided to hide and monitor the situation. After a while it became clear that you two weren't dangerous characters, so I emerged."

"Dangerous characters?"

"Yes. For example, the killer himself and an accomplice, coming back to get something they forgot. If that were the case, then what a chance! But apparently, my hopes were in vain." Liar. Rin had smelled that lie coming. He'd been waiting for them to come, hoping L had sent them, and Misora's phone conversation with said detective had confirmed his suspicions.

"However, instead I have been lucky enough to meet you two, so it was not a total write off. This is not a novel or a comic book, so there is no reason for fellow detectives to despise each other. What do you say, Misora? Will you agree to an exchange of information?"

"…No. Thank you for the offer, but I must refuse. I have a duty to keep things secret, as does my partner." Misora gave her a hard look at this. Rin scowled back. "I'm sure you have your secrets too."

"I don't."

"…Of course you do. You're a detective."

"Oh? Then I do." Very flexible. Both ways seemed to be fine by him. "But it seems to me that solving this case must take precedence…very well, Misora, Lise. How about this: I will provide you with all the information that I have in return for nothing."

"Eh…? Oh, we couldn't possibly…"

"Please. Ultimately, it does not matter if I solve the case of if you do. My client's wishes are to see the case solved, and only to see it solved. If you or Lise possess a sharper mind than my own, then telling you everything will be more effective. You may decide if the two of you wish to give any of your information to me afterward. So first, there's this," Beyond Birthday pulled a folded piece of paper out of his jeans pocket. Rin recognized it instantly.

"The killer's crossword…" She breathed.

Beyond Birthday looked up at her. "Oh? You knew about it?"

"Uh, no…not directly…" Misora replied quickly.

"Ah," BB seemed unsatisfied with that answer. "Allow me to explain. Last month, on the twenty-second of July, this crossword was sent to the LAPD by an unknown sender. Apparently, nobody could solve it, but if you were to solve this puzzle, it would give you the address of this house. Presumably it was a sort of warning from the killer to the police and to society in general. A declaration of war, one might say."

"You're sure the answer shows this address?" Misora eyed B carefully.

"Yes. Feel free to keep it and solve it at your leisure if you doubt me. Either way, killers that send warnings are generally looking for attention, assuming they do not have some larger purpose. And the Wara Ningyo and locked room aspects of the case fit that profile. So it seems there is a very good chance of some other message…or something like a message, being left at the scene. Do you two agree?" Anyone could tell by Misora's expression that she was wondering who 'Ryuzaki' really was.

"Excuse me," Beyond Birthday walked into the kitchen as if to give Misora time to calm down. He opened the refrigerator with a habitual motion, stuck his am inside and grabbed a jar of strawberry jam. Rin froze.

"What's with the jam?" Misora eyed him.

"Oh, this is mine. I brought it with me and put it in there to keep it cold. It's time for lunch." He smirked at Rin when Misora turned back around.

"Lunch?"

While Rin and Misora watched, Beyond Birthday opened the lid, stuck his hand inside, scooped out some jam, and began licking it off his fingers. Misora gaped at him while Rin flushed. Beyond Birthday had been her first _everything_; the first to care, the first to teach her, the first to claim her. She remembered _her_ tongue doing the exact same thing to his fingers.

"Mmm? Something the matter, Misora?"

"Y-you have strange eating habits."

"Do I? I don't think so." He ate another handful of jam. "When I start thinking, I get a craving for sweets. If I want to work well, jam is essential." He calmly proceeded to _drink_ the jam, curling his tongue in the jar. Rin had to look away. When he was done, he eyed Rin. "Sorry for the delay."

"Oh…not at all."

"I have more jam in the refrigerator if either of you'd like some?"

"N-no thanks…" Misora shuddered and then forced an extremely convincing smile. Apparently people can smile even when terrified.

"Okay," BB calmly licked the remaining jam off his fingers, showing no reaction to her response. "So, Misora, Lise, let's go."

"Go? Go where?" Misora looked vaguely frantic.

"Obviously," he said, "to continue our investigation of the scene."

[Line break]

It was, in Rin's opinion, quite hilarious to see BB's method of investigation. As soon as the trio entered the bedroom, he abruptly dropped to all fours and began crawling around the room. Misora looked torn between horror and genuine surprise at his antics. It was reminiscent of an old detective novel, though he didn't have the large magnifying glass and Sherlock Holmes class. In fact, he looked so accustomed to spending a great deal of time in this position that Rin wouldn't have been surprised to see him climb up the wall and across the ceiling. Of course, that wouldn't happen because, unlike most novels and comics, Beyond Birthday had no superpowers. He had cursed eyes, but nothing else.

"What are you waiting for, Misora, Lise? Join me!"

Misora shook her head so quickly her neck snapped, while Rin ambled back over to the bookshelf and crouched down. She could feel B's eyes on her back as she ran her fingers over the spines of the books. She didn't know why, but her intuition kept whispering to her about the books and the numbers she'd gotten off the photograph.

"Oh? What a shame." Beyond sounded like he didn't have a clue what _shame_ even was.

"B-but, Ryuzaki…I don't think there's anything left here to find. I mean, the police already searched it pretty thoroughly…"

"But the police overlooked the crossword puzzle. It would not surprise me at all if they overlooked something else in here."

"If you put it that way…but there's just so little to work with. I wish I had a clue to what I was supposed to be looking for – the room's too empty to just rifle through it at random. And the house is too big."

"A clue…?" BB paused mid-crawl, and bit his thumbnail thoughtfully. "What do you think, Misora? When you came in, did you think of anything? Any idea that might help narrow it down?"

At that point, Rin completely tuned them out, still mulling over the books. She was vaguely aware of Misora showing Beyond Birthday the photographs, their brief discussion, and the female detective excusing herself to go to the washroom. The awareness factor came back full force when every thought was pushed out of her head by one critical observation:

_She was in the room alone with Beyond Birthday._

A quiet chuckle came from the male who'd managed to get right behind her without her noticing. "It's been a while, Rin-_kun_." He nuzzled the back of her neck, coiling his arms around her waist. She remained silent, and he growled quietly. Before she could quite comprehend how, he'd flipped her around and pinned her to the floor beneath him.

"Do you need something, Ryuzaki-_san_?" She tried to keep her face neutral.

"You know very well that's not my name, _Always._"

She flinched. _Always Alone_, Beyond Birthday's backup. Backup's second plan to get to L. Mild panic set in. If he were to hold in this position until Misora returned, it would be reported to L. If he chose to kill her, he could easily make it appear as though she'd run away. However, he had an uncertain amount of time to do so he would act quickly. Without her notice, her body had reacted to the thoughts subconsciously. Fight or flight. Beyond noticed and smirked.

"Shh, Pet, shh." He stroked her cheek. "It's not your time yet. Besides, you have more use to me than just a victim. Yes…" he mused, "you'll be useful against L."

After a moment, he stood up and walked out of the room to fetch Misora. Rin grabbed a notepad, scribbled a hasty note that described how the numbers might have a connection with that books and how she needed some fresh air, then left the room and walked outside. She picked a direction and started walking, quickly putting distance between herself and the house. Between herself and Beyond Birthday, the psycho who she couldn't stop fearing. The phone in her back pocket went off and she answered it.

"_Yokiji Rin, explain why you have left the scene of the crime."_ L didn't sound pleased.

"I…I needed some space from Rue Ryuzaki." She knew that the answer wouldn't be enough.

"_I understand that you have an aversion to him, seeing as how there's an eighty-one percent chance that he's the killer. However, to run away is to admit defeat to the enemy."_

Defeat? Wasn't that how Beyond Birthday had found her? Defeated and broken, ready to die? Yes, that was it. In that godforsaken alley, living on the streets. He'd come to her then, claiming to have the ability to help her. She'd believed him…

[Line Break]

_It was so cold that day. It wasn't the coldest day of the year, but it was close. It was the season in which the weather can't make up its mind, and is instead constantly switching between summer and winter. Ironically, it had rained just before hitting the below-zero temperature, so everything that had been touched by the rain was slowly freezing. Including the street rats who had no where to go._

_Out of the forty, the youngest was a ten-year-old girl with long, tangled hair that was so filthy you couldn't tell its color, and dull green eyes. She was sitting curled up against one of the walls, her thin yoga pants and t-shirt already frozen stiff. Her lips were a dark blue, and her small frame shook uncontrollably. Every part of her body hurt. It felt like the cold was stabbing her continuously with heated needles._

_Her vision was blurry, so when the man walked over to her, it took her a few minutes to notice him. He was wearing a plain white shirt and baggy jeans, and had dark, messy hair and dark eyes that never seemed to blink. And he was staring at _her_. She blinked up at him, expression apathetic. A small smirk graced his lips as he glanced above her head and then back down to her._

"_Do you want to live, girl?" She deduced by the sound of his voice that he was about six years older than her. So…sixteen? She didn't really have the strength to nod, but she tried._

"_I can help you…"_

[Line Break]

Without much thought, Rin snapped the phone closed and walked back to the house, up to the bedroom, and stared at the bookshelf. A manga series rested on the second from bottom shelf on the right-hand side. _Akazukin Chacha. _A story about Shiine written by Min Ayahana-_sensei._ The eleven volume series had been…wait…eleven? _Akazukin Chacha_ had run for _thirteen_ volumes, not eleven. Four and nine were missing. How many pages was that? She racked her brain until the number popped up: 376. So, 376 pages of _Akazukin Chacha_ had been taken of the shelf and replaced with 376 pages of some other book. BB had liked that series hadn't he? So was his clue there? She looked over the tightly packed books on the shelf until she found a thick enough book. _Insufficient Relaxation_ by Permit Winter. It turned out to be exactly 376 pages.

She was unaware of the fact that Beyond Birthday and Naomi Misora had re-entered the room until Misora spoke. "Have you found something, Lise?"

Rin didn't respond to the foreign name, instead reading the book. It took her less than five minutes to read the entire book. There were no clues on the pages, but that wasn't a surprise. B wasn't that stupid. She thought about the victim, the Roman Numerals on his chest, the numbers…think like B. Puzzles. One of her favorite puzzles had been Word Wrap. You had to wrap the scrambled letters until you got a word. What if you wrapped the _numbers_ so they fit the book? She went through the pages, looking at the first word on each page.

Page 16 was Quadratic, page 59 was Ukulele. 1423 wrapped three times and hits 295 on the fourth lap, and that was Tenacious. 159 had Rabble, 13 had Table, 7 had Egg, 582 was 206 and had Arbiter, 725 was 348 and had Equable, 1001 was 209 and had Thud, 40 had Effect, 51 had Elsewhere, and 31 had Name. The first letter from each word spelled Q-U-T-R-T-E-A-E-T-E-E-N…qutr tea teen. One fourth of the letters were wrong…unless…unless you wrapped the words on the pages you had to wrap too. That meant you to the fourth letter from Tenacious and the second letter from Arbiter, which turned Qurtrtea into Quarter. The same with Equable and Thud, turning Eteen into Queen.

Quarter Queen, the name of the second victim. B _was_ clever. How hard would the clues from the second crime scene be? She turned and handed the book to Misora, told her how to find the name, grabbed Beyond Birthday, and dragged him into the living room, where she slammed him against one of the walls. His eyes were amused, oh so fucking amused, and it enraged her. He was laughing at her, laughing at their pitiful attempts to figure out his scheme, and by God, she was going to beat him, help L put him away.

"Do you need something, Rin-_kun_?" Even his tone was amused.

She snarled out the words. "No, _Beyond_, I don't need anything other than to tell you that _L will win._ You'll lose to him and be stuck in his shadow, just like you've always been, just like you were when you helped A commit suicide to get him out of the way!"

B's eyes narrowed as he changed their positions, holding her against the wall. He was so close, sensuously close. His eyes were half-lidded, dangerous. There was no mercy there, nothing but rage, murderous intent, and some psychotic form of passion that still aroused Rin. She felt the heat spread across her body, liquid warmth pooling in her lower stomach. She could tell that there was a blush on her face. B noticed, and the rage lessened. He pressed against her, moving his mouth next to her ear.

"That's where you're wrong, Always. _I've_ got all of the pieces; _I'm_ the one pulling the strings. You're dancing to my music, and I can change the pattern whenever I please." The words were a whispered caress in her ear and her eyes slid half-way closed. She couldn't focus, not with him so close, not with the old desire pricking at her mind, not with its owner pressed flush against her, a semi-hard length pressing against her thigh. She turned to look at him, found him staring. His crimson eyes were _so damn close_, his breath smelled of the strawberry jam from earlier. She wanted to kiss him, wanted to taste the strawberries on his lips, wanted to –

"Lise!! Ryuzaki!! I've got it!!" Misora called. Beyond stepped away from her and the two of them composed their faces to look as though they'd been having a casual conversation. A moment later, Misora was in the room, her eyes glowing. "He left her name! Quarter Queen's name was spelled in _Insufficient Relaxation!_"

"Nice work, Misora," BB said, unruffled. "Very good deduction. I never would have thought of it."

His eyes were still focused on Rin.


	4. L and B

Disclaimer:I do not own anything regarding _Death Note_ or its franchise.

* * *

At ten o'clock the morning of August 16th, 2002, Naomi Misora was assaulted by Beyond Birthday, who was being followed by Yokiji Rin. She had been following the man per L's orders since the fiasco at Believe Bridesmaid's house yesterday afternoon, and had noticed him preparing a blackjack, a simple weapon consisting of a small paper bag filled with sand. She'd trailed the van he'd stolen and was waiting in the backseat, where she'd been for hours. L's instructions to her that morning had been to use any means necessary to gather information about his former backup, even if it meant putting herself in harm's way. Well, sitting in the back of a van, waiting to seduce a psychotic murderer was certainly putting herself in harm's way. L would be furious.

Her musings were cut short by the arrival of said psychotic killer, who threw the mask, blackjack, and club he'd been wielding under the seat and drove to an abandoned lot he'd been looking at the day before. Rin sat up slowly, pulling the loaded .45 out from under her and pressing it to his temple. "Hello, Beyond." Casual. That was the key to winning this war.

His eyes flickered back to her, a crooked grin on his mouth. "Why, what a surprise, Always. Are you planning to kill me?"

She shrugged. "You tell me, since you hold all of the pieces."

He laughed then, his true laugh, the laugh of a shinigami. "No, you won't kill me. You're here to gather information for L, eh?" He parked the car and spun around to face her, a hand closed around her wrist. "Too bad I can't kill _you_ instead. It's not quite your time." He lunged over the seat and slammed her back down, holding her still with his body weight. The kiss he administered was forceful, violent and possessing. She bit his lip, shoving him off of her.

"Nice try, _Backup_. You're just not that seducing anymore." Heart pounding, Rin departed for the scene of the crime.

* * *

"Ah, Misora. You're late." Beyond's proclamation came as no surprise to Rin, who'd been there since earlier that morning. "Please try to be on time. Time is money, and therefore life."

Misora sighed and eyed B, who was currently rifling through the top shelf of drawers on a dresser, which happened to contain the thirteen-year-old victim's underwear. To Rin, and certainly to Misora, he looked like a pedophile with an underwear fetish. Rin subconsciously touched the bite-shaped bruise on her neck Beyond had left after arriving at apartment 605 that morning, hissing that she was his while he did so. Her hair was, luckily for her, long enough to cover it, but it still made being in the room with the FBI agent awkward.

"We're talking a single mother here, right?" Misora asked, glancing around the apartment. "Who has now moved back in with her parents? It must have been devastating. . ."

"Yes," Beyond replied. "These apartments were built for college students, intended to house only one, so a young girl and her mother living here attracted a fair amount of attention. I asked around a little this morning, and heard many interesting things." He pulled out a particular pair of panties, black bikini style with red lace, and smirked at Rin, who politely extended her middle finger. All of this was done when Misora had her back turned. "But most of them were already in the police report you showed me yesterday. The mother was out of town at the time of the murders, and the body was discovered by a college girl who lived next door. The mother first saw her daughter's body in the morgue."

Misora nodded, busy checking the walls for the holes where the Wara Ningyo had been nailed. The wall with the door was the only one missing a hole to indicate the position of a Wara Ningyo. Rin quietly closed the photo album she'd been leafing through and tapped Beyond on the shoulder with it. When he turned to look at her, she smacked him in the face with the light-weight book. He nearly fell, but stopped his fall by clinging to the dresser. She scowled at him before returning to examining the photos. B turned his attention back to Naomi. "Something bothering you, Misora?"

"Yes. . . Yesterday, _we_," she was careful to emphasize the plural, "decoded the message the killer left at the scene of the first murder, but. . . The Wara Ningyo and the locked rooms remain mysteries."

"Yes," Beyond said, closing the drawer, dropping down onto all fours, and proceeding to crawl around the crowded room. Rin groaned and left the room to look around the bathroom. She had already figured out the key to this particular murder; the glasses that had been placed on the contact-wearing girl's face. She had also figured out that there was a glass factory near the apartment of Backyard Bottomslash, the third victim. The only thing that eluded her was why Beyond had chosen someone named _Q_uarter _Q_ueen, instead of sticking with his usual Bs. She peered around the modest bathroom, noticing the strawberry scented shampoo, conditioner, and body wash. Hadn't she had some once? When she was with B. . .

* * *

_Always smiled and stretched as she stepped out of the shower, the room and her body smelling faintly of strawberries and cream. The warm water had done wonders cleaning the blood from her sore side, where a freshly carved old English A rested. It had been B's gift to her after her first murder today, the mark that symbolized her as being worthy of his backup. She paused and cocked her head when she realized she had, as usual, forgotten to bring her clothes into the bathroom with her. Shrugging, she wrapped the towel around herself and walked out._

_Halfway to the closet, a pair of arms snaked around her waist as a face buried itself in her hair. She smiled and leaned back against their owner, smelling the jam on his breath. "You always smell of strawberries, Always," Beyond Birthday murmured, inhaling deeply._

"_I thought you liked the smell of strawberries?" she teased, pulling away and walking into the closet. He watched her hungrily as she dropped the towel and began to hunt for clothes. After a moment, he stepped into the closet and shut the door behind him. She spun to face him. "B?" She eyed him nervously._

"_I do like the smell of strawberries," he mused, "but I like their taste more." He grabbed her arm and shoved her against the back wall, pinning her their as he ravaged her mouth with his. His hands ghosted down her sides, tracing the thin curves and stopping on her hips. One hand spread her thighs open as the other held her still. She whimpered. "Shh, pet, shh. Just relax." He kissed down her jaw, biting at her neck until he tasted blood. It was a sweet addiction to him. The hand holding her hip tightened as he lapped at the wound, his hips grinding against hers. She clung to him, then, the pain blurring into pleasure at the feel of a hard length against her stomach._

_He pulled away slowly, eyes half-lidded and dangerous. "What a seductress I've made." He kissed one of her breasts as a hand slid up to the moist area between her thighs. His thumb pressed against her clit while fingers slid into her, teasing and stretching the tender flesh. She mewled quietly, grabbing his shoulders and pulling him closer. He laughed, the chuckle of a shinigami, and unsnapped the fastening of his pants. "Pet," he hissed, sliding into her core. She made a funny sound, mostly pain and partly pleasure, as he continued his violation of her, claiming her again and again. It didn't take long, not with his psychotic pace, and he collapsed against her._

"_What a seductress, indeed. Using strawberries. . ."_

* * *

Rin shook her head, irritated with herself and her body's reactions to the old memories. She was startled when Misora rushed into the bathroom and began to gargle water. Making her excuses, she edged out of the bathroom and back into the main living area, her eyes settling on a grinning Beyond Birthday. Rin let out an impatient hiss of breath. "You planted the strawberry bathing gels, then?" He cackled, and, on impulse, she grabbed Misora's cup of lukewarm coffee and threw it in his face. It silenced him the same as if it had been hot. "You think screwing around with my head is _fun_, Beyond?" She snarled at him, slamming her hands onto the table. "You think you're going to win by messing with me?" She smiled then, a twisted, dark expression. "L doesn't give a fuck about my mental state. If I prove insufficient, he'll just take me off the case."

She stood up then, looking at the photograph from the third crime scene, just as Misora bolted out of the bathroom with a cry of, "Opposition. . . The opposite. . . Reversed!"

Beyond looked at her, masking his rage with surprise. "What's wrong?" he asked.

"The picture!"

"What?" Rin cocked her head.

"The photograph!"

". . . Oh, you mean from the third crime scene?" BB placed the photograph on the table. The corpse, right leg and left arm severed. Misora pulled the other two photographs out of her bag and slapped them onto the table.

"Notice anything, Ryuzaki?" she looked up. "How about you, Lise?"

Rin's head only cocked further, while Beyond uttered a confused, "What?"

"Anything as the photographs strike you as unnatural?"

". . . They're all dead?"

Rin smacked her forehead at his answer and muttered, "Being dead is not unnatural."

He scowled at her. "How philosophic."

"Be serious, you two." Misora snapped. "Look - the bodies are in different positions. Believe Bridesmaid is on his back, Quarter Queen is on her front, and Backyard Bottomslash is on her back. Back, front, back."

". . . And you see a pattern in this?" He sounded skeptical, but Rin peered at the photos, her mind reeling. Reversed. . . Up-side down. . . Initials. . . "Connecting it to nine days, four days, nine days between the murders? Meaning tomorrow the fourth victim will be found lying on her front?"

"No, not at all. I mean, that might be true, but. . . I was thinking of a different possibility. In other words, _the very fact that Quarter Queen's corpse was left lying on her front is itself unnatural._"

Rin tuned the rest of the conversation out, focusing on what she'd been given. Quarter Queen's lowercase initials would have been qq. That was the reflection of bb. But initials were uppercase. . .unless. . . A little child. A lowercase person. Upside down. Rage consumed her as Misora lowered her head in defeat, and she rounded on Beyond. "You're wrong, Ryuzaki, about lowercase being unable to work logically."

"What?" He appeared baffled, yet his tone was smug.

"In this case. . . Lowercase is perfect," she hissed, voice shaking with anger. Misora looked up at her, a similar expression on her face. "That's why the killer chose a child. _Because she was a child, a lowercase adult. And that's why she was face down, upside down!' _

_

* * *

_

At the hotel that night, Rin leaned against the wall of the shower, her head still spinning from her confrontation with Beyond after Misora had left the scene of the crime. He had simply smiled and told her to warn L that Beyond was close to victory, and all the pieces were starting to fit. She'd left before he'd finished talking, but that didn't stop the stress from getting to her halfway back. She'd found a small café and sat to wait out the anxiety, but L had found her first. He'd had Watari drive them back to the hotel, hardly speaking, per usual. Once there, he asked her to rest if she needed it but to otherwise stay alert. She'd agreed tiredly and gone to shower.

Now she was standing under water that had long gone cold, debating on whether or not to give L B's message. After a few more minutes, she stepped out and wrapped a towel around herself, and walked out of the room. L was at his laptop and he turned to speak when he heard the door open. The words died in his throat when he noticed she was in only a towel, and his body reacted to the sight. He spun back to his laptop. "Get dressed, Yokiji-san, if you don't mind."

Rin hesitated before padding over to where he sat, hunched over the computer. She tied the towel in a knot before sitting next to him, looking at the screen. ". . . You're looking at my record?"

He glanced at her. "Yes. It says here that you were orphaned by a fire when you were six, and ran away from the orphanage at seven. You disappeared for nine years until resurfacing in the Behavioral Center this year. Were you with B all that time?"

"No," she shook her head. "I was with him for only six years."

"I see." L returned his attention to the screen, and the conversation was dropped. Rin traced the features of his face with her eyes, taking in the pale skin and bags under his eyes. It was a weird sensation, like seeing a copy and then meeting the original. Which was, she supposed, what she'd been doing for six years. Seeing his copy. Her fingers reached out and traced a smooth cheekbone, moving down until they reached a small scar under his chin. He had frozen and was staring at her from out of the corner of his eye.

Rin's fingers continued down, across his shoulder, and picked up a limp hand. She observed the long, thin fingers and the gnawed fingernails, running her fingertips over lightly scarred knuckles. "You have. . . Marfan Syndrome, don't you? It's why your limbs are so long and your back is hunched." He looked a the ground and mumbled some type of response. She sighed and returned to stroking his cheek. "If it makes the humiliation any less, I have hemochromatosis."

"Hemochromatosis is not as humiliating as Marfan Syndrome." he said monotonously.

"No, but it's just as bad." He gave her an irate look. "It is. It'll take a while to take effect, but I'll be on drugs for the rest of my life. My liver and heart could fail, or I could die." She traced over his lips. "You have very fine features."

He jerked away from her then, standing up quickly and disappearing into the kitchen. She stared at the spot he had been, curling her fingers in as if to keep in the warmth of him. She stood up and dressed quietly, moving into the kitchen when she was done. L was standing over the sink, his hands gripping the counter's edge hard enough to turn his knuckles white. Rin walked over to him and touched his shoulder, leaning into him when he didn't pull away. "I didn't mean to offend you. I apologize if I have."

"You said that I have 'fine features', yet others look on me with disgust."

She peered up at him before pulling him down so their faces were level. "I'm not 'others'." She hesitated for a moment before brushing her lips against his lightly. He tensed and then relaxed, hands resting hesitantly on her shoulders. She pulled away and smiled, looking up at him and touching his face again. "You're not used to being touched at all."

He shook his head. "No."

"That's okay." She let her smile grow. "I can help you get over that."


	5. Finale

**Author's Note: **I'm back! Sorry for the long wait!

**Disclaimer: **I don't own _Death Note_.

* * *

Rin was tired of playing Beyond's game. Staring at the ruined apartment of Backyard Bottomslash, she couldn't help but feel a sense of helpless hatred eclipse whatever twisted sense of love still remained for him. Three innocents, all used for his sick game against L. Three victims, mutilated after their death, mocked, humiliated. She was sick of it. And, glancing at Naomi Misora, she could see that the FBI agent was losing her patience with the killer as well. They had both been there since early that morning, somehow arriving at the same time without meaning to, and they had both quickly run out of ideas for what they could investigate. Rin was, as usual, convinced that the victim had been mutilated for a very specific purpose, but she was too frustrated to think clearly enough to figure out what that purpose was. Her eyes strayed to the stuffed animals, arranged in an odd pattern (twelve on one wall, nine on the next, then five, then two), and there were certainly too many for any sane twenty-eight year old woman to have.

It was just past three when Beyond Birthday appeared at the townhouse. "Sorry to keep you waiting, Misora, Lise," he said without an ounce of guilt in his voice.

"Don't worry, we weren't waiting." There was a biting sarcasm is Misora's voice. "We started without you."

"I see," he responded dully, and proceeded to scuttle around on the floor. Rin scowled at him when he looked her way. He gave her the smallest of smirks and moved close enough to look up the knee-length skirt she was wearing. She kicked him in the face and moved off to observe the photographs again.

"Did the two of you already check the bathroom, Misora?"

"Of course. You?"

"I glanced inside before I came upstairs, but that bathtub's ruined. Painted like that, the only person who would dream of climbing in is Elizabeth Bathory."

Rin snorted and muttered loud enough for him to hear, "Or you."

Misora gaped at her for a moment before continuing her conversation with the clever killer. "He wipes every single fingerprint, but not a drop of blood. Finicky types are always like that. The killer honestly doesn't give a damn about anything but himself."

"Yes, I agree," Beyond said, but made no move to get off of the floor. Rin knew that the blood didn't bother him at all. Misora watched him carefully.

Rin left the room before she threw something at BB, and, deciding that looking at the walls might help more than the photographs, she entered the bedroom and sat in the middle of the floor. Her eyes scanned each wall with a careful precision. Think like B. What purpose did the stuffed animals have? There were almost enough to be a clock, but there were two missing. The Wara Ningyo had to play a clue to it . . . The Wara Ningyo? She perked up, staring at the walls. If you added the dolls, then there were enough inanimate objects to make a clock. Then he was giving them the time of the next murder?

A low chuckle alerted her to Beyond's presence in the room, but she turned to face him calmly, no fear on her face. "6:15 and fifty seconds on August 22nd. That's when you plan to end this, isn't it?"

He closed the distance between them, placing his hands on either side of her hand, palms flat on the wall. His observed her face for a moment before grinning at her. "Very good, Rin-kun. You've figured it out. But have you figured out how I'll end it, or your role in the end yet?" Her silence must have been an answer enough, for he cackled then and pressed his face to her neck. She felt him stiffen when he inhaled, and she smiled at her victory. She had stayed close to L the previous night, curled up as close as he would allow, and she had made sure that his scent had rubbed off on her. "Rin-kun," he hissed, drawing out her name. "Why is it . . . That you smell like . . . _him?_"

"I think you can figure that one out, _Beyond-san_," she drawled. "After all, L is only human. He has his needs." Purposefully leaving her sentence ambiguous was a dangerous game to play, but she was beyond caring at this point.

He grabbed her wrists, pressing himself to her and biting into her neck hard enough to draw blood. He growled around the skin in his mouth, tightening his hold on her arms until she squirmed. "Beyond . . . Get off!" He ground against her instead. Both of them froze when they heard Misora climbing the stairs. Beyond lifted his head and grinned at her, his lips stained with her blood, crimson and warm.

"I'll give you a clue as to your role in this, pet." He stroked her cheek. "Sylvia Plath once commented that dying in water would be the best way to go, but she stuck her head in the oven instead. You're already right where I want you, Rin-kun. And soon, you'll never be able to leave."

He moved from her then, and she walked out of the door (nearly bumping into Misora) and into the bathroom to clean her neck. She closed her eyes and leaned against the wall when she was done, dissecting Beyond's words. Water . . . Water was unimportant. She could feel that much. Her eyes drifted open tiredly as she thought about the meaning behind the oven. Ovens generated heat to cook food. If you left food in a oven too long, or left it on, the mixture of gas, heat, and a combustible substance could start a fire. Fire? Was he going to burn the next victim alive? That didn't make any sense, unless, of course, the victim held the key to him winning his little war with L. She pushed off of the wall and went to join the other two in the next room, troubled by her new conclusion. She locked eyes with B when she walked in, but her attention quickly shifted to Misora's sprawled form on the floor.

The woman stood up and glanced at Beyond, and they had a slow to develop conversation about arms and legs and clocks, too consumed with her theories to pay much attention to something she'd already figured out. She gnawed on her knuckle absently while she thought, watching as with distant eyes as Misora laid the picture on the floor and told Beyond her discovery of the time of the murder for August 22nd. Beyond glanced in the oddly quiet girl's direction, meeting eyes that were blank slates. She stood up suddenly and looked at Misora oddly. "Misora-san?"

"Hmm?" The FBI agent looked at her curiously.

"Will you call me the night before the 22nd and inform me of your plan of action? There are some things I need to research, and I'm afraid it'll take up most of my time." When Misora nodded, Rin smiled (although it was rather forced) and left the room. She had to control her pace to stop from running to the hotel, and, when she arrived at the suite she was sharing with L, she raced to the bathroom and proceeded to empty her stomach of all of its contents. She was barely aware of hands pulling her hair out of her face while a voice tinged with worry awkwardly murmured soothing nothings to her. When she was finished, she flushed the toilet and stood up on shaky legs. Rin turned to face L, and gave him a thin smile. "I'm alright. Being around _him_ for too long upset me, that's all."

He nodded and ambled back into the living room with her close behind. "L?" He glanced at her. "I think . . . I think I've figured out what's going to happen on the 22nd." He turned to face her, his eyes more intense than usual. She swallowed thickly before continuing. "Beyond made a . . . a reference to Sylvia Plath and how she killed herself by sticking her head in the oven. I think he's going to burn the final victim and . . . And I think he's going to be the final victim."

L turned his attention back to the computer. "Why would B commit suicide knowing that ending his life is admitting defeat to me?"

"How can you bring a dead criminal to justice?" she countered. He refocused on her.

"You believe that he will kill himself in order to prevent me from convicting him? It does hold a certain quality of truth to it as I cannot put a corpse on trial nor prove him to be the killer. However, it is also an act of cowardice, which I believe he wouldn't commit."

She glared at him, clenching her fists. "Do you know him well enough to say that? I know him well enough to tell you that you're wrong. B doesn't think like _you_ do, L. There's nothing in his mind telling him that it's an act of cowardice. To him, it means he wins because you _can't solve the case without him alive!_"

L stood up, towering over her. "Yokiji Rin, I know B and how he thinks. He is obsessed with becoming better than me, and to do that, he cannot do anything I would not do."

"Like murdering innocent people?" He was silent, and she pressed on. "To him, this is a no holds barred competition, where the winner is the one who outsmarts the other. I know him as his successor, as _his_ A, and I can say that with total confidence."

L looked away from her and observed the wall above her head. "And what role do you play in all of this? Didn't he say that you were one of his most important pieces?"

Rin deflated. "I . . . I don't know yet."

* * *

Misora called her at 5:30 am on August 22nd, 2002 and informed her of the dangerous plan she and B had decided on. They would take the place of the two people who fit the description of the killer's victims of choice and wait it out to see what happened. Misora requested that she be there in case something went wrong, and she agreed, promising to be there by six at that latest. When she arrived at the condo, her throat was dry and her lungs seemed to be in a state of rebellion, supplying the bare minimum of oxygen needed. She called Misora to let her know that she would be assisting "Ryuzaki" and entered the building, making her way to room 404. BB. How clever. So amusing to him. She knocked on the door, not at all surprised when B opened it with a smirk and invited her in with a mocking bow. She sat on the bed, noticing the gasoline, the box of matches, the tools, and the slightly crooked angle at which the sprinkler hung from the ceiling.

"So . . . You finally have the stage set up for the final act, huh?" She looked at him, only to see him looking back at her with mild amusement.

"Have you figured out your role yet, dear Rin?" He looked confident that she hadn't. She smiled tiredly. One small victory for her.

"Either you're going to burn me with you to ensure that L can never touch me again or you're planning to make me look like the killer," she murmured, "and I'm betting on the first one."

His smirk slipped a little, and she let a small sigh escape her lips. "Well," she mused glancing at the clock on the nightstand. "We have roughly twelve hours until you kill us. What do you plan to do for those twelve hours?" He laughed and came closer, and she closed her eyes, numbing herself to her core.

* * *

When six o'clock in the evening rolled around, Rin was curled up in the bed amidst her own blood, her form bare and cold. Beyond Birthday was humming to himself as he finished preparing, pouring gasoline on himself and on her back. He dumped the rest of the containers on the floor and furniture, avoiding the bed. She looked at him curiously, wondering why it was only her back and not the rest of her. He caught her staring and made his way over to her, stroking her spine with a strangely soft look on his face. "You know, Always . . ." his voice was nostalgic, sad even. "You will always be my successor. This will remind you of this until the day that you die."

Her eyes widened as he took a step back, pulling her with him and then shoving her towards the door. She whirled around in time to see him light the match and drop it at the floor at his feet, kicking some of the gasoline at her, where it ignited the fuel on her back. There was an instant of cold, and then . . . Then the pain was eating her alive and she was screaming, rolling on the ground to put the fire on her back out, succeeding only in smearing more gasoline onto the already severe burn. Misora entered the room a second later and grabbed the fire extinguisher from the hall, spraying first Rin's back and then the charred form of Beyond Birthday. Rin was barely conscious, but she held on long enough to hear Misora's proclamation.

"Rue Ryuzaki, I arrest you on the suspicion of the murders of Believe Bridesmaid, Quarter Queen, Backyard Bottomslash, and the attempted murder of Lise Murray. You do not have the right to remain silent, you do not have the right to an attorney, and you do not have the right to a fair trial."

The Los Angeles BB serial killer, Rue Ryuzaki, Beyond Birthday . . . Was in custody.


	6. Curtain Call

Author's Note: **And here, my dears, is the final chapter of **_**Phantasmagorial Parameter**_**. Thank you so much for sticking with it for this long! Here's a toast to all of my reviewers: HelloMyFallen, IKilledMisa, MisaMisa, Mucylove, WinterTopaz, and WingedHybrid! **

**Disclaimer: **I don't own _Death Note_, or any of the lyrics used.

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'_Everything's so blurry, and everyone's so fake._

_And everybody's empty and everything is so messed up. _

_Preoccupied without you, I cannot live at all._

_My whole world surrounds you; I stumble then I crawl.'_

~**Blurry**, Puddle of Mudd

It was her seventh day being here. In the hospital, with its buzzing lights and murmuring doctors, all of them scribbling on clipboards after asking her mundane questions about her back, the pain, how she was coping. How was she coping? Not so well, actually. The first day she'd seen L, she'd flung the IV at him, ripping the needle out of her arm. Screamed at him, cursed his name and cried. She'd been hysterical. And the whole time, he'd sat there, staring at her with his blank eyes, accepting her abuse. He'd apologized for getting her involved, said he'd send Watari to keep an eye on her, and left. The doctors had come in to sedate her not too much later, and she'd spent the next few days in a quiet daze, trying to come to terms with the fact that Beyond Birthday, her mentor, friend, lover, enemy, and tormentor, was finally behind bars, where he belonged. When she realized she'd never see him again, she'd broken down, not knowing where to go.

Now? Now she sat in the same position everyday, watching the clock or looking out of the window, eating when they gave her food and answering the doctor's questions with a blank look on her face. Did her back her too much today? No, no more than usual. That was good; it showed signs of progress. Would it bother her if they started letting people see her? Who wants to see a broken down shell? He says he's a friend. I don't care. Do what you want. The doctor left, and in his place was an older man, wrinkles lining his face. She didn't look above his head. She didn't want to know his true name or when he'd die. She was tired of seeing death at every turn. Tired of her eyes.

He sat across from her and introduced himself as Watari. She blinked and the old man could've sworn he saw a flicker of . . . Something in those dead eyes. A fire that refused to go out. That was good. He'd have to inform L of this new development. Her mouth opened after a moment, and the first words she'd said out of kindness came spilling forth.

"Did you know I dye my hair and wear contacts?"

Watari blinked in mild surprise before his smile returned. "No, although I assumed your natural hair color wasn't that shade of red."

"My hair is black." Watari's smile dropped. She ignored him, staring at the wall. "Like L's. My hair . . . Is the same shad of black as L's. That's why B picked me for a successor. I could imitate how L looked, if I really wanted to." She paused for a moment before continuing. "He said that I was his Backup. So, naturally, I needed to look like him. My hair was right for that purpose."

"Miss Rin, I really don't think . . ."

"I didn't really have value as a person to him." She ignored his attempt to stop her. "He needed something to make him more like L. He already had the looks, the mannerisms, and the craving for sweets. He was only missing an heir. So he found an orphan who he thought had potential and took them in. Took me in." She turned to look at him, a dark fury smoldering in her gaze. "Do you understand, Watari-_san_? The only reason any of this ended the way it did was because of your desire to cultivate geniuses and rob them of their identities! I had a name . . . _I had a name and it was taken away because of you and that damned L!_"

A nurse rushed in, her face concerned yet scolding as she requested, "Sir, if you're upsetting the patient, then you'll have to leave."

Watari stood and bowed, "I understand." He turned to the fuming girl on the bed. "Miss Rin, I'll leave this in case you decide to contact me. Please do if you need anything." He placed a nondescript black phone on the bedside table before leaving the room. The nurse looked at her curiously.

"Miss Yokiji, who was -"

"Get out," she said quietly, her hair hiding her eyes, "and don't come back."

_Only when I stop to think about you, do I know._

_Only when you stop to think about me, do you know . . ._

_I hate everything all about you! Why do I love you?_

_You hate everything all about me! Why do you love me?_

_I hate you hate I hate you love me!_

~**I Hate Everything About You**, Three Days Grace

It took her a very long time to decide what to do next. The first thing was to dye her hair back to it's natural color. After a lot of pleading, the doctor finally agreed to allow a nurse to buy the dye and color her hair for her. Once that was finished, she began the slow process of turning herself into Beyond Birthday. Her hair, once long and smooth . . . She chopped it off into a style similar to B's, styled it messy and unkempt. She took out her contacts and trashed them before applying thick eyeliner to give her eyes a more freakish effect. The doctor had given her permission to leave, and she had asked for her old clothes. She dressed in a pair of plain jeans, a black shirt with long sleeves, and black slide-on shoes.

She was becoming the one person she hated to love.

It was strange, how much they'd actually hated each other. Neither had known whether to expect a simple hug or a knife in the back when they touched. There were days where he'd strangle her, beat her, with her returning the favor and then they had the days where they spoke softly to each other, tangled in sheets and passion. Rin closed her eyes and tilted her head back, leaning on the wall behind her as she remembered all the times they'd murdered someone together, all the times she'd found surprises, both unpleasant and pleasant, and left some for him. She let a small smile grace her features. They had hated each other, loathed their very lives, and yet they'd loved each other too. Enough for him to mark her as his, enough for him to save her when she was slipping into dangerous territory.

_Lips pressed to hers, arms holding her close as she shook. Red eyes peering into her own, worry masked with a thin veil of annoyance. "Are you better now, A?"_

He'd managed to worm himself into her psyche, take his place among the voices that whispered to her and caressed her ears like lovers. He was also the only one (besides L, but she refused to think of _him_) who'd been able to make the voices fall silent. He'd say one word, and they'd scatter, only to return when he was gone. Maybe it had annoyed him how much she'd needed him. Hell, maybe it had annoyed her how much she needed him. But there had been nothing she could do about that, was there? Her mind was an unpredictable thing, so much like his moods . . .

Like his mood had been when he'd named her. He'd called her _A_, after someone he'd known in Whammy's, someone he'd once called Abolla and then called Alexander Collins. A friend, but also his only competition in who would get to be L. They had been such good friends, until B had realized that, as long as A was alive, he would never be able to become L. So he did what made sense to him. He poisoned Alexander's mind, whispered lies when he was weakest, and drove him to putting a gun to his head and pulling the trigger. He had described it to her once in a voice that suggested pride. His eyes, however, had held disgust and regret.

Much like it had when she'd failed to kill a person before police arrived on the scene of the crime, called by neighbors who'd heard the victim screaming. They'd handcuffed her while she watched Beyond's eyes observing her coldly from across the street. During the trial, the lawyer had managed to get her sent to a mental institution instead of death row, and that was where L had come in, ripped the rug out from under her and flipped her world upside down. He'd brought her back into contact with BB, only to take him away from her again. With a sigh, she pushed herself off of the wall, leaving the bathroom. Before she flipped off the lights, she cast a last look at her new reflection.

A pale girl with black hair and red eyes stared back her.

-_Fire, fire, I dissolve and solidify._

_Destroy to create, disassemble to assemble something pure._

_Our rubix sol-ve-et-co-ag-u-la . . ._

_Kill to be born again, cycled a thousand times._

~**Solve Et Coagula**, Mudvayne

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**End Note**: Well, dears, here you have it. _Phantasmagorial Parameter_ is over. However, there will be a sequel coming soon set place during the events of _Death Note_, so watch for it. Ciao!


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